Emergence
by Gemini14
Summary: An unknown link to Lotor's past is about to be revealed to the Voltron Force. What will happen when this link becomes known to them all?
1. Chapter One

Emergence

Chapter One

The sun shone down on the scene of a duel. Two men, sworn enemies, faced off in the bottom of a ravine. The duel was short-lived, however, and it ended with a swipe from a laser sword.

"You were a fool to think you could defeat me, Keith." Lotor snarled, his eyes gleaming with evil glee, as his foe lay motionless in the dust. 

"You………………you won't win………." Keith gasped, painfully.

"Oh, but I already have! See you in hell, Keith!" Lotor sneered, as he mounted his airspeeder and disappeared over the ridge. Keith closed his eyes, knowing that his situation was hopeless. He'd come out to the barren planet alone, without anyone knowing where he was. 

"_And now I am going to die._" Keith thought, bitterly, as the sun burned above him. As the blackness of unconsciousness surrounded him, Keith caught sight of something moving along the rocky face of the cliff adjacent to where he lay.

"_Maybe some scavenger looking for food. I hope it's quick in killing me. This pain is unbearable._" Keith thought, as his eyelids fluttered shut.

Sean watched as Lotor disappeared into his ship. It had been years since he'd seen the Drulian prince, but it was the same as the last time. Still the same, cold-blooded gaze. When the ship had lifted off and all was silent again, Sean went into the ravine to see what Lotor had come for. He was shocked at what he saw; a young, human male lay in the bottom of the ravine in a puddle of his own blood. 

"_So that is what Lotor has been up to!_" Sean thought, as he started descending into the ravine. When he'd gotten down to where the young man lay, the man was unconscious.

"Hmm……….this wound was caused by a laser blade. I do wish the Drules would stop trying to imitate the Jedi weapons!" Sean muttered, as he tore his own shirt into strips and started binding the man's wounded chest in them. As gently as he could, Sean lifted the man onto his shoulders, aware that the man was in a dire situation.

"_It appears that we are going to be leaving sooner than expected._" Sean thought, as he found a shallow cave and waited for dusk.

Allurra paced nervously as the hours passed. Where was he? When Keith had been found missing and the Black Lion gone from its berth, they knew something had happened. Across the room, Sven, longtime friend of Keith and fellow Voltron pilot, stood at a window, moodily watching what was going on in the town below. Allurra didn't dare speak to the dark-eyed pilot since she felt he blamed her for his friend's disappearance. When she heard him sigh, she chanced a look at him. Even though she knew he would never hurt her, Sven was still a man to be respected, even though she was a princess. 

"Daijobu, Sven-san?" Allurra asked. He nodded, silently. 

"Just worried. Never knew Keith to do this kind of thing." Sven said, softly. Allurra nodded in agreement. She had to agree with the quiet Norwegian. He was a quiet voice of reason, but he rarely spoke; at least, not in her presence, anyway. 

"Where do you think he went?" Allurra asked, as Sven brushed an errant strand of dark hair from his eyes.

"Somewhere far. Wherever he is, it isn't planetside." Sven replied. 

"How do you know?" Allurra asked, knowing to trust in Sven's instincts. 

"I can feel it. His presence isn't on Arus. It's elsewhere." Sven again said, as he turned his coal black gaze onto the Crowned Princess of Arus.

"You may be right. But where would we start searching for him?" Allurra asked. Sven shrugged, a slight, almost imperceptible movement of his shoulders. 

"I will begin by scanning the area around Arus, then work my way out. If anything, he should still be close enough that the Black Lion can be sensed by the Blue." Sven said, as he left his place at the window.

"Are you going alone?" Allurra asked.

"Of course not. I'm taking the others with me." Sven replied, matter-of-factly, before he disappeared into the control room. Allurra sighed, as the tall man left the room; his moods were so hard to predict! She marveled at the ability Keith and the others had to make Sven even crack a smile. 

"_He's just worried about Romelle. Ever since Doom destroyed Pollux, Sven has been concerned about her, even though she says that she is all right._" Allurra thought, as she watched Hunk, Pidge, and Lance file into the room after the dark-eyed man. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

With a groan, Keith awoke to find himself in a strange place. He slowly turned his head when he heard some movement next to him. 

"Well, well, looks like our human guest has awakened! Hey! Sylvan! Tell the Commander that the human Lotor had attacked is awake, would ya?" a boy's voice shouted. Another male voice shouted an affirmative, and then the boy approached Keith. Keith was startled to see that the youth had canine attributes such as fur, ears, tail, small, wolfish muzzle and golden yellow eyes.

"Didn't your mama ever tell ya it wasn't nice to stare?" the youth asked, with a teasing tone of voice.

"Erm,…………..sorry………………it's just that I have never seen someone quite like you before." Keith said, honestly.

"Okay. By the way, my name's Kip, what's yours?" the wolf boy asked.

"Keith." Keith replied, wincing a little when some pain crossed his wounded chest. 

"Pleased ta meet ya." Kip said, turning when another man arrived, this one having feline qualities about him. 

"Commander says it almost time to go. Dev says that the Lion ship is fully operational, but we don't have anyone to fly it on the way to Arus." The cat man said, with a sigh.

"I can fly. The Lion is my ship, after all." Keith said, grimacing as he sat up.

"No doubt you could fly it, since it is your ship, but in the condition you're in, I doubt you could stay conscious for the whole flight." The cat man said, patiently. Keith sighed in frustration, but he had to agree; he was in no shape to fly. 

"But how will we tow the Lion back to Arus? How does the Commander intend to pull that off?" the cat man asked.

"He probably intends to carry it by using the two larger wolves in front and the smaller ones in back. He'll be up front, guiding us." Kip replied. 

"It will be risky." The cat man murmured.

"Everything in life is. But we must try." Another man said, this one as human as Keith. 

"What'd the Commander say, Sylvan?" Kip asked.

"Time to fly." Sylvan replied, with a grin.

"Yes! Finally! We leave this rock!" Kip whooped. Keith, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, wondered what it meant.

"_Wolves? Do they mean some kind of special fighter? Or do they mean something else entirely?_" Keith wondered, as yet another humanoid man entered his small alcove, this one having dog-like qualities.

"It seems that you have given the Commander the incentive to leave early. He was intending to leave at a later date." The dog man said, as he gently and effortlessly lifted Keith from the makeshift bunk and carried him. 

"Who is your commander? Is he like you? Or something else?" Keith asked. The dog man chuckled.

"I see that you have noticed the dynamics of our team. No, he isn't like us, yet he isn't like our enemy, either." The dog man replied, as he and his compatriots walked into a makeshift hangar. Keith's jaw dropped when he saw that the Black Lion was on a huge space carrier. But the most amazing thing was what stood beside and in front of the carrier and its precious cargo; five wolf ships!

"I see that our guest is ready to leave. I'm relieved to see that he is awake. It is a good sign, to say the least." A calm, male voice said, as its owner approached Keith.

"Who are you? And what are those ships?" Keith asked. The other man, who was clothed head to toe in white, lightly saluted.

"I am Commander Sean Ghost, sir. These ships are the Voltron Wolf Force." The stranger said, with a touch of pride in his voice.

"Voltron Wolf Force? I've never heard of them." Keith said, confused.

"Of course you may not have. You see, their existence was kept secret because of fear of Drulian spies stealing the plans. These ships were developed and built after the loss of the Lion Force Voltron. It was hoped that these Wolves could replace the lost Lions, but there was never time to test them. The scientists and engineers that had built these ships were forced to flee this area when Zarkon and his dark forces stormed this part of the galaxy. Then that is where we come in. After Zarkon took this planet, he started using it for his most troublesome captives. I was sent here first, because I once started a rebellion and uprising in the dungeons. Kip was sent here because his parents were also 'fire starters'. Sylvan is here because of a familial relationship with one of your friends. Dev, being the strong fellow that he is, was brought here because of fear that he would start something. Aiden, being a member of a feline empire that lives on the other side of the galaxy had been sent because Zarkon knew that there was no moon near this planet to aid in his transformation. Now there you have it. Information on us and our ships." Sean said, calmly, yet with a hint of humor in his voice.

"What are you going to do with me now?" Keith asked.

"We're taking you back to Arus. As it is now, the only reason you feel like talking to us at all is because you are wearing the Sunfire Amulet. But even it's powers are limited. That is why it is imperative that we get you back as quickly as we can." Sean said, as he motioned for Dev (the dog man) to carry Keith into the lead Wolf. Once inside, Keith was laid on a special bunk near the cockpit.

"The Black Lion doesn't have this." Keith commented, noticing that the bunk was padded top and bottom in case of a rough ride.

"Well, I expect it wouldn't, since these ships were designed after the fact." Sean said, as he gently fastened Keith in. 

"But what are you? Your friends wouldn't give me a straight answer." Keith persisted.

"Let's just say that I am a man that isn't proud of his family background." Sean replied, gloomily. Keith caught the shame in the man's voice and immediately felt guilty about asking.

"Sorry. I didn't know it was such a touchy subject." Keith said.

"No harm done. It's natural that you would be suspicious of anyone who promises help without asking anything in return. Think nothing of it." Sean said, as he settled into his seat and fastened himself in.

"Okay boys, you ready to leave?" Sean asked.

"All set, boss dog!" was Kip's reply.

"Ready and waiting." Sylvan said, coolly.

"Ready to rock, roll and rumble!" Aiden meowed, enthusiastically.

"Then let's fly." Sean said, as he stuck the key into its slot, then punched a number of buttons. There was a low hum, then a growl rumbled from the depths of the machine. The Wolves were coming to life!

"In the words of Doctor Frankenstein; IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!" Aiden yowled, getting groans of exasperation from the rest of the team. Keith chuckled when Sean sighed and muttered something under his breath. As the ships started their upward flight, Keith wondered what the rest of his team was doing and how angry they were going to be with him. 

Sven muttered vehemently under his breath, as he circled a cluster of stars where he'd sensed Keith's presence. Lance, Pidge and Hunk were right on his heels. 

"You sure that this is the spot, Sven?" Lance asked.

"Yes." Sven replied, as he paused and looked at something. 

"Now what?!" Hunk asked, swerving to avoid ramming into the suddenly still Blue Lion.

"Sven?" Pidge asked. Sven remained silent, as he focused on what he'd sensed. Keith's presence was getting stronger, but there were also five other presences with him. And they were coming fast.

"Incoming!" Sven shouted, startling the other three Lions into action. Almost as soon as they had moved, something huge roared past them, heading for Arus.

"Call ahead to Castle Control! There's something on the way!" Sven cried.

"I'm on it!" Pidge responded, quickly obeying Sven's orders.

"And that something is huge." Hunk muttered, as the huge 'thing' flew quickly ahead of them.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Sean could tell almost as soon as they had reached Arus' atmosphere that they had a problem.

"Houston, we have a problem." Aiden meowed, as a blast from behind rocked them and their cargo.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Aiden!" Sean said, from between clenched teeth, bracing himself when something exploded near his ship. Sylvan fired off a number of nasty sounding expletives, as Keith silently thanked his stars that he couldn't understand just what was being said, since they were in Norwegian. 

"Full speed ahead, boys, we're almost there." Sean muttered, as he nosed his Wolf into the atmosphere. Thankfully, Sean was right. Keith could already see the green land that symbolized Arus.

"Oh, lookit that! I can't wait to get down there!" Kip said, with true longing in his voice.

"Let's just hope we can end this peacefully and not cause any bloodshed." Sean murmured, as he pressed one button that released the space tarp from over the Black Lion.

"They've stopped." Dev said, noticing when the attacks ceased.

"Begin landing procedures. No telling when they might start bombarding us again." Sean said, as he led the five ships and carrier towards an unsettled piece of land that was big enough for the carrier. 

Sven stared in shock at the huge craft when the tarp fell away. 

"Black Lion!" Lance yelped.

"Stop shooting! I think Keith is on one of those ships!" Pidge shouted. Sven had to agree. 

"Cease fire!" Sven commanded, getting an immediate response from the other pilots.

"What the hell is going on?!" Hunk asked, bewildered by this turn of events.

"_I wish I knew._" Sven thought, as they all watched the ships land. 

Corran was about as bewildered as the four Lion pilots. The moment he saw the wolf ships, he could do no more than gape in astonishment. 

"Corran?" Allurra asked, when she'd noticed the dumbstruck look on her advisor's face.

"Wolf Force Voltron………….." Corran muttered, disbelief evident in his voice. At first Allurra was confused, then she looked at the monitors and saw what her advisor was seeing. Five canine ships had come to rest on Arusian soil, one of them was walking towards the castle. 

"Order the guns to aim directly on that ship. If it makes any threatening moves, shoot it." Corran ordered, as two guards nodded and ran out.

"But why would you have them shoot on another Voltron, Corran?" Allurra asked, as she continued to gaze at the strange ships.

"They might have fallen into the wrong hands." Corran murmured, as he watched another ship join the one that was approaching the castle. 

"Well, are you prepared to face your friends, Keith?" Sean asked. 

"I'm about as ready as I am going to get. They are going to be mad as hell with me for going out on my own, but I have reasons for doing so." Keith replied.

"Oh? And what were those reasons?" Sean asked, curiosity in his eyes.

"Lotor had threatened to use the same weapon on Arus that he had on Pollux if I didn't come alone to face him in a duel. I didn't want that same fate to befall Arus." Keith replied, with sadness in his voice.

"Keith, I have been on that barren planet for far too long and news doesn't travel. You must tell me what Lotor did." Sean said, with an intensity Keith had never seen before.

"He sent a Robeast into the planet's core and exploded it, causing a chain reaction. Luckily for Arus, Pollux wasn't parallel with it anymore, so the chain reaction didn't harm it. There were very few survivors from that cataclysm, one of them being Princess Romelle, Princess Allurra's cousin." Keith murmured.

"I see. Then he has a whole lot more to atone for." Sean said, his voice hard and distant. 

"What do you know about Lotor, Sean?" Keith asked.

"A whole lot more than the average person does." Sean replied, enigmatically. 

"Such as?" Keith pressed, wanting to know more about his mysterious benefactor.

"I would rather not talk about it. There are too many nasty memories buried that I want to remain so." Sean replied, as his Wolf settled down and the Yellow Wolf rested next to it. Keith sighed, this stranger, Sean, was still a mystery. He didn't even know what the man looked like, aside from the white head-to-toe uniform he wore. Within moments, Dev had carried him out of Sean's Wolf ship and onto the grassy area before the Castle of Lions. Immediately, four Lion ships settled down and their pilots jumped out. 

"Your friends?" Sean asked.

"Oh yeah…………..and do they ever look pissed?" Keith muttered, as he got assailed by furious shouting in several different languages.

"I am understanding every word you lot are saying, and that isn't the kind of language I was hoping the heroes of the universe would have in their vocabulary." Sean said, reprimand in his voice. Instantly, the four enraged men quieted down enough so Keith could give an explanation. 

"Guys, Lotor was planning on doing the exact same thing to Arus that he did to Pollux! Unless I went and dueled with him, you all would have been murdered along with the rest of Arus' population!" Keith said, as his friends' faces paled.

"If anything, Lotor is planning on coming here with his Robeast, regardless. If you would allow us to, my team and I will take over your duties until your commander recovers from his injuries." Sean offered.

"How can we trust someone who has just arrived?" Pidge asked.

"Yeah! And how can we trust someone who hides his face behind a mask?" Hunk added. Sean did not even flinch.

"Because you gentlemen are one man short, and I know Lotor's mind better than most. You take care of Keith's injuries, and we'll make sure that Lotor doesn't injure Arus." Sean said, solemnly. 

"Don't worry, guys, you can trust him. He's saved my life once already." Keith said, vouching for the other commander.

"Commander! Drulian ships breaching the atmosphere!" Sylvan shouted, from across the field. 

"All right! Let's see what these Wolves can do!" Sean shouted, getting yells of agreement from his comrades.

"I trust you have the capabilities to handle his wounds?" Dev asked, as he handed Keith over to Hunk.

"Yeah." Hunk replied.

"Good." Dev said, as he went to follow his comrades into battle. As the Lion pilots watched, the Wolves leapt into action. They were quick to dispatch the Drulian attack ships and even managed to damage the Robeast carrier before it reached the ground. But they couldn't stop the Robeast from escaping.

"Okay, trial by fire! Form Voltron!" Sean shouted.

"Yeah!" Aiden and Kip cheered, as Sylvan and Dev kept their minds on the job. 

"Transformation sequence initialized………." A mechanized voice murmured, as the five Wolves became one unit. 

"All right! It worked! We are now Wolf Voltron!" Aiden yowled, enthusiastically. 

"Now, let's see what this baby can do! Form StarFire Sword!" Sean cried, enjoying every moment of the battle. With a collective shout, they attacked the Robeast, slicing it into four pieces before it could even fell one blow!

"Yahoooooo! We did it!" Kip howled, as the robot became five Wolves again.

"We sure did………….Wolf Voltron has passed his test with flying colors. His builders would have been proud." Sylvan said, bringing the tone down a little.

"Yes. Tonight we'll try to hold some kind of memorial for them. It's the least we can do." Sean said, getting an agreement from his comrades.

Corran couldn't believe his eyes. Not only could the five ships fight on their own, but they could also form a Voltron! They all watched as the Wolves parked in front of the castle and waited for someone to show.

"I'm going out there to thank them." Allurra said, getting a rather disgruntled reply from her Voltron Force and advisor. 

"I forbid it! You don't know where they have come from or what they might do!" Nanny, Allurra's governess bellowed, as the stubborn princess jogged out of the control room. 

Sean looked up when he heard footsteps, and was astonished to see a young woman coming to meet them.

"Rowr." Aiden said, under his breath, before getting elbowed in the stomach by Sylvan.

"Are you the pilots of those Wolves?" the woman asked, her eyes alight with a fire of their own.

"Yes. I am Commander Sean Ghost, and these are my comrades." Sean replied.

"I am Allurra, Princess of Arus. I wanted to thank you for what you did on the field of battle today." Allurra said, surprised when they all kneeled before her.

"Princess, we are honored that you have taken the time to even speak to us. Our services, ships, and lives are at your command, your Highness." Sean said, quietly and honestly. Allurra was impressed and touched by the honesty with which the five men kneeled before her. 

"Commander Ghost, is there a reason why you hide your face?" Allurra asked.

"I am ashamed of it, your Highness." Sean replied, sadly.

"Why?" Allurra asked, gently.

"I am afraid that it will frighten you, your Highness." Sean replied, the sadness in his voice almost moving the princess to tears.

"Why do you say that?" Allurra asked, again.

"I cannot say. Maybe someday I can reveal my face to you, but until then, it must remain hidden. Otherwise, my life, as well as yours, will be in danger." Sean replied, as he and his comrades rose and stood before the princess. Allurra was stunned; this man had to keep his face hidden in order to keep her safe?!

"Then what will you do?" Allurra asked.

"Stay close and protect you from Lotor. It is the least we can do." Sean replied, turning his head when he heard something above them. Allurra couldn't help but watch the man's every move, but, as she did so, she caught sight of something gold underneath his hood. But she couldn't tell what it was. 

"_Whatever it was holds some clue to his identity. But what? Who is he really?_" Allurra wondered, as she led the five into the castle, where her Voltron Force was waiting.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

As Keith recovered from his wounds, more was revealed about Sean's teammates. Sylvan was revealed to be Sven's brother, who had been missing since an attack on earth. Kip had also come from Pidge's home planet, so they talked constantly of what things had been like. Dev, the even-tempered dog man, hit it off right away with Corran and Nanny. Even Aiden had found a niche among the circle of friends. Yet Sean himself still remained a mystery. He never removed his mask and took his meals in his room. Then, one night, when Allurra couldn't sleep, she wandered down to the library to see if she could find anyone to talk to. She was shocked when she heard someone playing the piano that stood on one side of the library! Taking care to remain silent, Allurra sneaked a peek into the room and saw that a figure in white sat before the instrument, graceful hands playing a soft, sad melody. She could see that the man was pale skinned and had hair that reflected the moonlight. His eyes were closed in concentration, proving that he was playing something from memory. Fine eyebrows marked the places above his eyes and long, elfin ears poked out from the sides of his head. Something about that profile was familiar, but Allurra could not place it. As she watched, the man started to put the protective covering back over the keys, but then glanced her way. She gasped when she saw his eyes; they were human, but they were an eerie shade of golden yellow. He in turn gasped and dropped the key cover onto the fingers of his left hand. 

"P-princess!" Sean, the man at the piano, gasped, struggling to put his mask back up to cover his face. Allurra was as surprised as he was; now she knew what his face reminded her of. 

"You're a Drulian, aren't you?" Allurra asked. Sean looked away from her, shame written on his face, as he let his mask fall away. 

"Not just a Drulian, I'm afraid." Sean replied, sadly.

"What do you mean?" Allurra asked, a little afraid.

"I'm his brother." Sean replied, as he sat back down, putting his face in his hands, unaware that his left hand was bleeding.

"Your hand……." Allurra murmured.

"What about it?" Sean asked, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"It's bleeding." Allurra said, as she closed the distance between them and looked at the wounded hand.

"Are you sure you should show pity for a monster, Princess?" Sean asked, with a somewhat bitter smile.

"You're not a monster. You proved that the first day you came here. It may be true that you are related to Lotor, but that doesn't make you a monster. My belief is that everyone should be given a chance to prove himself. Besides, Father would have warned me if you were someone that was out to hurt me." Allurra said, as she wrapped her handkerchief firmly around the wounded hand.

"Your father? But I remember Corran saying something to the effect that your father had passed away some time ago." Sean said, confused. Allurra gave him a sad smile.

"His spirit still guards this castle. In fact, there is a way to meet him. Come this way." Allurra said, as she took Sean by his uninjured hand and started leading him to where the castle met the foundation to an older structure. 

"So this castle is positioned above the old catacombs, eh?" Sean asked.

"Yes. This castle was still being built when my father was alive." Allurra replied, as she led him to the doorway of a tomb. Sean watched as Allurra made the sign of the cross and the door opened.

"Unusual way to open a door." Sean remarked, not unkindly. Allurra smiled, then looked up at the stone pedestal where her father's coffin lay.

"King Alfor……………." Sean murmured, as the realization came to him and he remembered what his family had done to Allurra's. 

"_Ah, so you have brought a visitor, Allurra?_" a gentle male voice asked, as the ghostly owner appeared over the coffin.

"Yes. This is Sean, he's the leader of the Voltron Wolf Force. He saved Keith's life recently." Allurra said, quietly.

"_Let me see you, son._" Alfor said, gently. Sean did as he was told with tears in his eyes. Allurra noticed this and put a hand on his arm to comfort him.

"_Why do you shed tears?_" Alfor asked.

"Forgive me, Alfor-sama, it's just that I remember hearing that it was my biological father that took you from the ones who needed you. I am sorry." Sean said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes, but couldn't keep others from flowing down his pale blue face. 

"_Do not shed tears for me, young man. I am at peace. Allurra has people that will protect her from harm; you are one of them. So do not mourn and do not be ashamed; you are a defender of good, not a part of the evil your father brings about. Remember this, Sean._" Alfor said, before fading out of existence again. 

"Sean?" Allurra asked, when she saw the look on Sean's face.

"He's right. I shouldn't be ashamed of myself; I have devoted myself to fighting the evil Lotor sets loose on this planet. Tomorrow, I will let your friends see my face, and I hope they will understand." Sean said, as he faced the Princess.

"I hope they understand, too." Allurra said, knowing that things could get very dangerous for him the next day. 

The next morning, there was a line for the bathroom. Sylvan grumbled under his breath as he waited for his turn to the shower.

"Ne, Lance! You've been in there for over an hour! Your face can't get any uglier! Get out of there and let somebody else have a chance!" Sylvan finally shouted, getting an indignant shout from inside. He heard some snickers behind him and the grumbling of Nanny as she pushed past them on her way to the kitchen.

"Yeah! You're worse than a woman wasting your time in there!" Kip said, yelping when he got beamed in the head with one of Allurra's shoes.

"Serves you right, Kippy." Aiden sneered, getting a dirty look from the wolf boy in response. Before an argument could break out between Kip and Aiden, Sven gave them a look that cowed both of them.

"And the Silent One wins again." Dev said, with a chuckle. Pidge, Keith, and Hunk sighed and shook their heads.

"It seems that Sven is the only one who can do that with just one look. If this had been any other time, he would have made a good tyrant." Sylvan said, succeeding in getting clobbered by Sven. 

"Sylvan…………." Sean muttered, from the back of the line. When they had finally all gotten their showers, and were at breakfast, Sean took a seat apart from the others. From what Allurra could tell, he looked nervous, yet resolute. 

"So, is the Mysterious One going to eat with us today?" Pidge asked, impetuously. 

"Yes. I figure it is high time I learned what your table manners are like." Sean quipped, getting laughter from his comrades.

"Hunk flings food when he eats." Sven muttered, getting a dirty look from Hunk for his troubles.

"Is that so? Then I guess my decision to eat over here was a good one." Sean said, jokingly.

"Jaa, that it was." Sylvan said, reverting partially to his home tongue. 

"Minna, Sean has something he wants to reveal to you, but you must promise not to hurt him when he uncovers his face. Do you promise?" Allurra asked.

"We wouldn't dream of hurting him, Princess. But, what does he have to hide?" Lance asked, speaking up for the first time. 

"A rather painful secret." Sean replied, as he stood up and faced the group. Keith and the rest watched tensely, knowing that this would be the first time some of them ever saw Sean's face, even though they had known him for a little while now. Slowly, Sean reached up and grasped the fabric of his mask, hesitating as second thoughts came into his mind. Allurra sensed his uneasiness and gave him a look of encouragement. Sean took a deep breath and nodded, pulling away the layers of cloth and letting them fall to the ground. Ten minutes later, he stood before them, unmasked. Among his own team, there were uneasy glances to the Voltron Lion Force. Keith and his team stared in shock at Sean's face. 

"Lotor……………….." Lance murmured, his hand reaching for his laser pistol, instinctively. Hunk, Pidge, Sven and Keith must have come to the same conclusion, since they were also reaching for their weapons.

"Wait! Don't hurt him! You promised you wouldn't!" Allurra shouted, dashing over to the pale Sean and shielding him with her body. Keith and the others froze in mid-motion, not knowing what to do. 

"Get out of the way, Princess. He's more than likely Lotor playing on your sympathy for good favor." Keith growled, as he pointed his pistol at Sean.

"He's not! I swear it! I wouldn't be defending him if he were! Father even affirmed this!" Allurra shouted. Behind her, Sean stood where he was, his mind clouded by fear and self-loathing. His ears lowered in response to his thoughts and feelings, giving him the look of a beaten dog.

"Keith, do you distrust me now? Minna? Does your hatred for all that Lotor stands for obliterate the fact that we have fought side by side until now? I am still the Sean you know, only without something over the face. I also hate what Lotor and Zarkon have done, but there is nothing I can do except fight as a Wolf Pilot. I kept my face hidden because I was ashamed of it and could not bring myself to show it to you in the beginning." Sean murmured, his calm, golden human eyes showing regret and so much pain. It was Pidge who first holstered his gun and took a good hard look at Sean.

"The Princess is right; this isn't Lotor at all." Pidge said, adjusting his glasses as he said that.

"He sure looks like him! What makes you so sure?" Lance asked, skeptically.

"Look at his eyes. While Lotor's are catlike, Sean's are more human. His skin is a paler shade of blue, as well." Pidge commented.

"That's only because I am scared as hell right now." Sean said, shakily.

"I've never really noticed Lotor's eyes, but Sean's ears are longer and more………..um………..elfin?" Hunk added, as he also holstered his weapon.

"You're right. I'm sorry Sean. It's just that we had no idea that this would be your terrible secret." Keith said, as he and Lance holstered their weapons.

"It's all right, I understand. I knew that you would react like that, but it still scared me." Sean said, honestly, as he regained his composure.

"That's probably the only time I have ever heard the Commander admit that he was afraid." Aiden said, from his seat at the table.

"Aiden, put yourself in my boots for a moment……..don't you think you'd be a little afraid as well, if you were faced with five angry men with guns?" Sean asked, with a little sarcasm in his voice. Aiden took one look at the five Lion Pilots and shuddered.

"Point taken." Aiden said, that comment getting a shaky laugh from all of them. When breakfast was out of the way, the ten Pilots went their separate ways. Sean headed for the stable, where his favorite horse waited for him. He was surprised when Sven joined him. 

"Is there a reason why you are following me?" Sean asked, as he led a white stallion out of his stall. Sven didn't say anything, but saddled his steed and followed Sean out into the sunshine.

"Hmm,…………….seems as though we're going to get some rain later." Sean said, as he mounted.

"Oh? How can you tell?" Sven asked.

"Got a tingling sensation at the tip of my right ear. Means there's plenty of moisture in the air. I think its best just to run these two lightly today, so they won't be overly tired when we get back." Sean said, pausing when Romelle went past him and over to Sven. Sean could feel her uncertain gaze on his back, and sighed. He wished he could have looked more human. 

"Don't worry, Lady Romelle, I will not hurt you." Sean said, gently. He heard a slight gasp from the woman, yet he was surprised when she walked over and took a good look at his face.

"You know, you've got gentle eyes. There's no way Lotor could fake a look like that. Okay, I trust you. Shall we ride?" Romelle asked, looking over at Sven when she said that. Sven smiled slightly and nodded. Within moments, they had set off at a good, steady pace. Quickly, Romelle opened up to Sean, and, much to Sean's amazement, so did Sven!

"So, what's it like in Scandinavia, Sven?" Sean asked, as they trotted along.

"Cold. Well, most of the time, anyway." Sven replied, breathless in the humidity. 

"So heat doesn't agree with you, does it?" Sean asked. Sven didn't answer, but Romelle spoke for him.

"He seems to have a harder time breathing in hotter temperatures." Romelle said, getting an irritated look from Sven.

"Is that so? Have you been to see a doctor about that, Sven?" Sean asked.

"Don't need to." Sven replied, obviously relieved when they stopped to rest beneath some shade trees.

"Why?" Sean asked.

"If they found something wrong, then I'd be off the team." Sven said, as he leaned back on the trunk of one tree and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath. 

"May I have a listen to your lungs then?" Sean asked. Sven seemed surprised, but nodded and allowed the pale Drulian to put a sensitive ear to his chest. 

"Hmm…………your lungs do seem to have a strange sound to them……..but your heart is also beating a little bit faster than it ought. Did you have any kinds of severe injuries in the past couple of years?" Sean asked. He saw Sven shudder and nod.

"Then maybe this will do you some good. Mind you, I am not a professional healer, but I can alleviate this problem and the toll it is taking on your body. Hold still." Sean said, as he put his hands before Sven's chest and concentrated. For a few moments, nothing happened, then Sven felt something. It was almost as though someone had loosened a vice from around his chest. His breathing was becoming easier! After a few moments, Sean broke the contact and sat back, looking completely and utterly exhausted.

"What did you do?" Sven asked, astonished by what had just happened.

"My mother was a healer from another planet. She was human, but she had powers that weren't at all human. She could use her own life energy to heal. She passed down that ability to us before we were born. But, Lotor's abilities are yet unrealized, since he focuses his energies on evil. Since I have chosen to fight for good, I am able to use my powers, yet I am untrained in a great many ways. I was only able to heal you because your condition was fairly simple to pinpoint." Sean said, tiredly.

"I owe you a great debt. Thank you." Sven said, gratefully.

"Think nothing of it. You are, after all, my best friend's brother." Sean replied, as he, Sven, and Romelle remounted and started the ride back to the castle. As they rode, dark clouds gathered in the horizon, almost hinting at the dark days ahead.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Sean watched as rain fell. Behind him, grumbles of malcontent drifted from the pilots of both Voltron Forces. He sighed and turned his attention back to the book on his lap. He winced when Lance and Pidge started into another argument and a vase was knocked from its place on a bookshelf. 

"Nice going, you two. Nanny is going to have your heads for that one." Sean remarked, as the two pilots looked sheepishly at the mess they had made. 

"If you two want to roughhouse, then you should take it to the gym. There are no valuables in there." Dev muttered, as he left the room to get a dustpan and broom. 

"What happened in here?" Allurra asked, as she and Keith entered the room, giving Sean a confused look as they did.

"Just a little disagreement, that's all. It's been strangely quiet around here, lately." Sean murmured, golden eyes troubled.

"I agree. It's been way too quiet. I wonder what Lotor and Zarkon are planning." Keith mused.

"Commander, the maintenance checks you wanted me to run are done. When the need arises, we'll be ready to fly." Kip said, with a confident grin.

"Good work, Kip. Do you know where Sylvan is? I need to speak to him about going on a quick surveillance mission." Sean said, as he stood up from his chair.

"I think he's in the stable helping out with the horses. His brother is with him." Kip replied, noticing when a flicker of pain went through Sean's eyes.

"I see. I guess I'll just have Dev go with me, then." Sean said, doing his best to hide his pain.

"Why did you change your mind, Sean?" Keith asked.

"Sven and Sylvan deserve all the time they can get to talk. After being separated by war for so long, they've earned that right. I understand how important family is, especially since I don't have one." Sean said, then quietly made to leave the room.

"Sean." Keith called. Sean paused and looked back at him.

"I'll go on surveillance with you. I may not be blood kin, but I am a brother in arms, in some way." Keith said, as he offered a hand out to the sad-eyed Drulian pilot. 

"Thank you, Keith, I needed to hear that." Sean said, with a smile. Keith grinned in response as they grasped hands and shook on it. Allurra also smiled; and she knew King Alfor was also smiling, even though no one could see it. Within the hour, the two had taken off, with Allurra watching as they left. 

"Be careful out there, you two. Come back safely." Allurra murmured, before the two ships disappeared into the gloom. 

"You worthless scum! You let them escape!" Zarkon roared, furiously, from his throne. Below him, Lotor kneeled, but this wasn't the same Lotor that had beaten Keith so severely that day on that deserted planet. This Lotor was only a sad shadow of whom he'd once been. His once sumptuous clothing was in bloodied tatters, as was his back. His golden eyes, once bright with ambition, were now dull with pain and illness. He was so weak, he could barely remain kneeling at his father's throne. On either side of him, a robot guard stood, in case he did try to make some sort of attempt at escape. 

"What have you to say for yourself?" Zarkon asked, finishing his four hour long tirade and glaring down at his son. Lotor said nothing, but he did look up at his father and give him a look that could freeze a star down to its innards. 

"Take him back to the dungeon. It sickens me to even look at him." Zarkon ordered, waving the guards away with a wave of his hand. Lotor bit back cries of pain as the two guards hauled him to his feet and dragged him off. 

"_Now I know why the slaves are always looking for ways to escape_……………………" Lotor thought, grimacing when one of his shoulder wounds broke open again because of the rough treatment. 

"Get up, you sorry excuse for a living being! Get up!" the guard on his left demanded, when Lotor stumbled and sank to his knees in exhaustion. They were almost back to the dungeon, and Lotor could hear the slaves jeering at him from their cells. This was the worst part of his incarceration; the taunting of his former captives and prisoners of war. This was the ultimate humiliation. 

"_What I wouldn't give for the strength to escape_………………….._Surely it doesn't get any worse than this? Mother, where have you gone? Is this how the end came for you?_" Lotor wondered, foggily, barely even noticing when the guards threw him into his cell and slammed the door behind him. He knew that there were at least two other people in the cell, but Lotor knew they would leave him alone. Then, in a whisper, Lotor repeated a line from a movie he, his mother, and brother had watched so many years ago. A plea for help he knew would go unanswered.

"Brother……………………….help me…………………." Lotor whispered, before consciousness faded and his world was again an impenetrable wall of black. 

Sean bolted to reality with a gasp. He was sitting at his Wolf's controls, and had been talking to Keith when he'd felt a sudden cry for help. 

"What's up, Sean? Did you see something?" Keith asked, tensely.

"No. It's more like I felt something. Let's get back to Castle Control. I think we need to call a meeting together." Sean said, as he went to turn around.

"Okay, Sean." Keith said, not even asking what it was that had evidently spooked Sean into returning to the Castle of Lions so soon.

"_Whatever it is, I'm sure he'll tell us at the meeting._" Keith thought, as they sped back to the castle. Allurra was waiting for them when they returned.

"That was a short surveillance. Did you see something out there?" Allurra asked.

"No, there's nothing out of the ordinary, Princess, but there is something I need to discuss with you, Corran, Nanny and the two Voltron teams." Sean said, urgently.

"I'll see if I can arrange it." Allurra said, as she went about calling all those involved together. When they had all gotten there, Sean revealed to them what had made him return so quickly from the outside.

"I know you are not going to believe me when I say this, but I sensed an urgent cry for help while Keith and I were checking things out. The voice I heard was Lotor's." Sean said, grimly. For a few seconds, all of them were too shocked to speak, then Lance stepped forward, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Why should we answer him? He's pulled this kind of stunt before!" Lance shouted, stopping when Keith gave him one of those 'Shut up or else' looks. 

"I didn't say you had to, Lance. He called out for me. What I called all of you in here for was that I wanted to be sure that, when and if, I can get him here, whether or not you would help me tend to his wounds. He wouldn't cry out for me, if there wasn't anything wrong." Sean said, calmly.

"Why do you want to bring him here, Sean? You know he will endanger the princess when he has the chance." Corran said, as he gave the young Drulian a stern look.

"I will keep watch over him." Sean replied.

"You alone, Commander? But what if he overpowers you when he has his strength back?" Sylvan asked, deeply concerned for his friend.

"I will just have to take that chance." Sean said, quietly.

"No! I forbid it! You will not bring that filth in here! I won't allow it!" Nanny said, curtly.

"I can't just leave him there, Nanny. He's my brother." Sean said, with sadness in his eyes.

"But you can't go in there alone. I'll go with you, if no one else will." Sylvan said, as he stood alongside his friend and leader.

"Sylvan……………………." Sean muttered, stunned.

"I will go as well, if Keith says it is all right." Sven said, as he too stood alongside Sean.

"Heck with it, I guess I'll go too." Aiden, who had been uncharacteristically silent up until that time, said, as he walked over and joined Sean.

"I will also go. I've a score to settle with some robots." Dev said, quietly, with a smile. Soon, all but Lance stood at Sean's side.

"Well, Lance? What say you?" Keith asked, even though he looked a little reluctant himself. 

"I might as well. Can't leave you guys hangin' one pilot short." Lance said, as they grouped together.

"Then it's settled. We leave at midnight." Sean said, with grim determination in his voice.

"Right. See you then." Keith said, as the meeting practically dismissed itself.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Sean." Corran said, firmly.

"So do I, Corran. More than anything." Sean replied, as he gazed out at the turbulent sky, dreading the mission ahead.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"You know, death would be more merciful for this poor sod. His wounds are infected, and there's no way to clean them. He'll only get worse." A man's voice said, as Lotor drifted back into consciousness.

"Still, we can at least try. He may have been our enemy, but he doesn't deserve to die like this." A woman's voice murmured, gently. Lotor flinched when he felt cool fingertips on his brow, yet relaxed when soft chanting reached his ears.

"Meira, even if you do manage to heal him, those guards will only tear the wounds open again. Zarkon is determined to see him die." The man said, grimly. The chanting stopped, as the woman looked up and gave her male cellmate a stern look.

"I must try, Kyou. You know as well as I that the healer's pact decrees that no man should be left to die. Not even your enemy. Besides, even if what I am doing is futile, I can at least ease his pain until he does die. At least he's not dying alone in this place." Meira said, stubbornly. Lotor stared in wonder at the woman; how was it that she of all people could be so merciful to someone like him?! He opened his mouth to ask, but only a pain-filled gasp got past his lips.

"Take it easy, prince. You've had a rough time and your wounds are serious. Try not to move." Meira said, gently yet firmly. Reluctantly, Lotor obeyed, since even the slightest movement sent intense pain through his back and shoulders.

"I guess we should be glad that we're not in any of the fuller cells. The rest of the lot here would rip us to shreds for helping the likes of him." Kyou muttered, as he turned his cat-slitted blue eyes towards the rest of the filthy cells, listening to the constant jeering of the people within them.

"True enough. And they wouldn't hesitate to do the same to him, since he was, at one time, their captor." Meira murmured, then began chanting again. Lotor closed his eyes and sighed as the soothing voice slowly eased his pain, helping him rest and taking away the burdens of being a dishonored prince, if only for a little while.

"_He won't have long to live, if we don't get him out of here soon. Meira is using all of her strength to fight the infection in his wounds, and the guards keep making new wounds for her to ward. What we need now is a miracle. A miracle in the form of lions._" Kyou thought, as he watched Meira tend to Lotor.

Sean breathed a shaky sigh as he sat down in front of the Black Wolf's controls. He was about to head to Doom for the first time since he had been banished, and the thought of even approaching the planet scared him!

"_Do not fear, Sean. Have faith in yourself and have faith in the Black Wolf. You'll be all right._" Alfor's voice said, gently, in the back of Sean's mind.

"_Thank you, King Alfor, for your vote of confidence. I will do my best, as I am sure everyone else will too._" Sean thought, as he prepped his ship for flight.

"You ready, Sean?" Keith's voice asked, though the loudspeaker.

"As ready as I will ever be, Keith." Sean replied, not even caring to hide the fact that he was uneasy.

"Don't sweat it, Boss Dog! We'll get in and get out before Zarkie even realizes that the pantry's been raided! We'll have 'im callin' us all foxes before this night is out!" Aiden said, confidently.

"I don't think the Lions and Wolves would appreciate that too much." Pidge quipped, getting a tense chuckle out of the rest of the pilots. There was a unanimous growl from both sets of ships for an agreement.

"See? Even the Wolves and Lions agree." Dev added, as he gently patted the controls for his wolf.

"All systems green, Chief. We're ready to fly." Kip's voice said, as Sean checked his Wolf one last time before he gave the signal to take off.

"Good. Keith, are you and yours ready to go?" Sean asked, with a very slight tremor of fear in his voice.

"All set over here." Keith replied, then added, "Don't worry. We'll get in and get out as fast as we can. If what you sensed is true, then Lotor doesn't have much time."

"I know. That's what is troubling me." Sean said, as he glanced at the internal clock on his Wolf's controls.

"Aw, you worry too much, Pack Leader! We'll get in there so fast that ol' Zarkie won't know what hit 'im! So don't go going and getting your pressure suit in a bunch!" Aiden yowled, getting a flinch from Sean in response. This got some snickers from the rest of the pilots, including Sven and Keith.

"Laugh it up, flyboys. Watch it or I'll give some of those robots some minds of their own so they can give you lot your just desserts." Sean muttered.

"What? Blaster bolts to the back?" Lance asked.

"No. For you, Lance, I'd ask them to give you a wedgie." Sean grumbled. Lance said nothing more after that.

"Good comeback." Sven muttered, sounding as though he was filing that away in the back of his mind for use later.

"No problem, my friend. Now, let's go. Midnight is fast leaving us." Sean said, then shouted the command to his Wolves, "Launch!"

"Launch!!" Keith echoed, as he inserted his key into the panel in his Lion. With loud roars and howls, the Voltron Lions and Wolves were airborne; intent on the rescue mission ahead. From the control room, Allurra watched as the ten ships disappeared completely from sight beyond the atmosphere.

"_Please be careful, my friends. Come back safely._" Allurra thought, as she bravely held her tears back; as much a Lioness of Arus now as she had been in the pilot's seat of the Blue Lion.

Queen Merla sighed as she scanned the surrounding area with her mind. She was bored and somewhat lonely, even though she'd had unlikely company that evening in the form of a rebellious German-born space pirate and his somewhat cabin-feverish crew.

"_Who would have thought that he of all people, would actually come to visit me? Here I am, royalty of one of the races he's fighting against, yet he stops in long enough to have a civilized glass of wine! Such strange creatures, humans are!_" Merla mused, smiling slightly when she remembered her own surprise when the ruggedly handsome pirate captain had walked confidently up to her, nodded somewhat politely at her, then helped himself to some wine. She was jolted from her thoughts when something crossed her mind's eye.

"_Voltron! But what're they doing this far away from Arus? Is something up?_" Merla wondered, as she rushed to the control center in her own castle and tried to pick up the signal of the Black Lion.

"Captain Keith, this is Merla. Do you read me?" Merla asked, taking the communicator from her startled subordinate and speaking into it. There were a few moments of silence and static before the pilot responded.

"Loud and clear, your Highness. How're you doing?" Keith responded, almost casually.

"I'm well. What are you and your team doing out here? Has something happened? Has that fool Lotor captured Allurra again?" Merla asked, again, out of curiosity.

"Actually, as weird as this sounds, your Highness, we are on a rescue mission……but it's not to save Allurra this time. This time, Lotor is the one in need of rescue." Lance's voice said, as the images of the Lions came into focus. Merla's eyes widened when she saw what appeared to be five mecha wolves flying alongside the Lions.

"Keith…………..those wolves……….are they………….?" Merla questioned, too shocked to say it properly.

"Another Voltron? Yes. And you wouldn't believe who the leader is." Keith replied.

"Who?" Merla asked, her voice almost too quiet to be heard.

"Ever hear of a male Drulian going by the name of Sean Ghost?" another male voice, this one sounding eerily like Lotor, asked, calmly.

"The slave revolts on Doom……………….you were the one who'd started them…….." Merla murmured.

"Exactly. And now I head back to start yet another revolt; not just in the dungeons this time, but also in the very aristocracy of Doom itself. Queen Merla, we need to know if you will help us break into Doom." Sean's voice said, coolly. It didn't take Merla long to decide what she wanted to do.

"Consider it done. I'll be right behind you within the hour." Merla announced, as she mentally gave her underlings the command to get her best battle cruiser ready.

"Thank you, your Highness." Sean's voice said, gratefully.

"Think nothing of it. After all, this is a good way to work off some stress. Besides, I still intend to give Lotor an earful when he's on the mend." Merla said, cheerfully, glad to be getting a break from the boredom.

"All right. I just hope we can get through some of the defenses without alerting Zarkon to our presences prematurely." Sven's voice muttered, sounding just a little bit skeptical of this decision.

"Leave that to me, Mr. Holgersson." Merla said, smirking when some rather disgruntled grumbles in Norwegian were heard over the comm-link.

"Hey, Sylvan, what'd Sven say just now?" another voice meowed, curiously.

"Aiden, you really do not want to know. Trust me. You don't." Sylvan muttered, in exasperation. There were a few moments of silence before the feline voice spoke again.

"Okaaayy then. Maybe I don't. Sheesh. I can feel Sven's 'death glare' from here." Aiden's voice stated, getting some chuckles from the crew of the control center. Merla snickered and rolled her eyes. Yes, things were about to get interesting. Very interesting indeed.


End file.
